Carnatic Music As It Is

Carnatic Music As It Is

In the midst of a general Indian public, the notion of Carnatic music is often synonymous for old and ancient music and something that is ra... 09:55

In the midst of a general Indian public, the notion of Carnatic music is often synonymous for old and ancient music and something that is rather too melancholic and sombre to be appreciated. The strange name of ragas and thalas (rhythmic patterns) are often some of the buzz words that turn the general public away from this art form. Given its strong orientation to Hindu thoughts and beliefs, it is also seen as a religious art meant for religious occasions.

Contrary to popular belief, Carnatic music is not just a form of religious music, but is a vast coffer of literature, philosophy, science and even mathematics if one takes in mind the calculations behind the rhythmic patterns involved. Certainly, it is a system that is rather rigid and provides a certain degree of restriction for creative music (manodharma sangeetham), though to keep the creative form within a certain boundary. Excelling in the art form requires laborious effort and self-sacrifice. To study and perfect newer compositions, concert-worthy mastery of several important ragas and rare thalas are often some of the most daunting tasks for any modern amateur performer given commitments in their own careers which are more lucrative. Nevertheless, the pursuit of an art form like classical music, in this case Carnatic music, is very much a shared effort by both family and the individual as well as well-wishing friends. The concerted effort of all these groups is essential for the individual to succeed as a performer. But again continued success in this field is another big challenge even for the professional practitioner.

Globalisation has hastened the competition in the music industry with the availability of other music forms in computers, handphones, radios and televisions. At this juncture, one may presume that the market for Carnatic music is rather infinitesimal, isolated to some classy enthusiasts. The real paradox of globalisation is that the popularity of the music is rather growing rapidly internationally. The corollary of which is that people are seeing more Carnatic music in the media. But can one plainly equate popularity to progress?

For the survival of the art in today's modern world, the modern approach of Carnatic music has become increasingly. Non-religious themes are also attempted by contemporary composers reflecting on social issues and human emotions, many of which haven't really achieved popularity. Its good progress on this side of the shore. Inventiveness and creativity has in fact risen in terms of composing. Over time, these compositions will be treasured by succeeding generations of musicians and connoisseurs. But what about performing? There is an iron curtain by orthodox "keepers" on the fixation of the concert format, which has primarily not changed since the time of the legendary performer, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, who introduced the concert format of performing Carnatic music. There is also a perpetual debate between audience and musicians on whether the concert format should be altered based on the target audience.

Unlike the past, performing Carnatic music to the masses is a huge challenge today primarily because of competing forms of entertainment in the media. The performer requires a different concert format and most importantly different themes. Themes are especially important for they allow the artiste to decide on the compositions to be performed and which compositions "click" with the target audience. The communities patronising, performing and listening to Carnatic music has more or less grown over the years, but amidst the common Indian public of today, Carnatic music has still not touched a nerve to reveal the richness of a musical heritage that is supremely scientific and artistic.

Probably the most undisclosed reason why Carnatic music is losing it appeal to the general masses is plainly because of its own popularity within the communities practising and patronising the art. Commercialisation on the most part forced many musicians including popular celebrities to render popular numbers in their concerts for the essential purpose of keeping or even growing a devoted pool of re-visiting audience. One may also argue that the need for financial welfare for the artiste is paramount in this globalised world chiefly because of the increased cost of living, which is true but sadly resulted a form of communism in the music scene. Excluding highly gifted musicians, attempts by dedicated and hardworking musicians to popularise rare ragas, thalas and even compositions are only sporadic, fearing that it may not please a devoted following of audience who may be inclined to a specific outlook on the art. To put it, not every single individual of the audience can approach this art form from an intellectual perspective. It takes a certain level of competence in at least Carnatic music theory for someone in the audience to approach the art from an intellectual perspective.

A dedicated student of music can surely sing or perform a composition the way it was taught to him by his teacher. But again, when we relish our experiences of "great music", we refer to the numerous stalwarts who dominated 20th century Carnatic music. Each one having their own unique style and to listen the same composition or raga umpteen times gives a new experience to the listener. One can say that this formula has drawn packed audiences to their concerts in an era that has not seen globalisation. Even today, many bright and upcoming Carnatic music students are inspired by the trends of renowned masters of the past of the golden era of the 20th century to bring whole ideas or even imitate the music of the stalwarts. Its a good and promising start for the survival of Carnatic music heritage.

But in terms of the individual approach to music, its like the growth of musical individuality has more or less stagnated in recent times. One may defy this proposition saying that it took more than two centuries to consolidate and popularise the style of the Trinity (St. Thyagaraja, Nada yogi Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Shastry) to what it is today. But if one analysed the way the Trinity composed, it was significantly different from the way Carnatic music was practiced years back from their time. They set a benchmark to modernise Carnatic music in their times and with their innovations immortalised their legacies. Likewise, performers and composers of the 20th century also saw the need to progress Carnatic music as they were confronted with the era of industrialisation and media technologies. They saw the importance of creating an approach to music which appealed to a wide audience in order to sustain the art. In fact, most of the stalwarts of that era are still heard today and are available both online and offline. But can the future generation revere the current trend of Carnatic music?

It is hard to say or rather ambiguous, as there is still a small, but dedicated group of musicians, highly skilled and devoted to creating an original attitude and approach to music that is not stereotyped from the ideas of the past. It is important for the musician and chiefly for the audience to welcome new ideas and approach in Carnatic music so long as they do not contravene the grammar and science of Carnatic music. The wealth of musical ideas of the past masters is there to stay in an era of digital archives, but to wholly imitate their ideas will lead to the stagnation artistic progress. The best way dedicated musicians can pay tribute for the contributions of past masters is to progress the art by developing an individual style and approach that is unique and original to an individual, while keeping in mind the lessons that the masters have taught us over the years. Such music will be loved not only by a devoted audience of Carnatic music but to any ordinary enthusiast of music.